The present invention relates generally to the use of blood pressure cuffs of devices for blood pressure measurement, and more particularly relates to a protective liner for use with such blood pressure cuffs.
Blood pressure measurements commonly have been made by indirect methods of auscultation and oscillometry. Traditionally during blood pressure measurement, a blood pressure cuff would be placed around the upper arm of a person, inflated to a maximum pressure, and gradually deflated, while the pulse of a person was monitored at the site with a stethoscope applied directly on the person's skin to detect the person's pulse in order to determine the person's systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings. Automatic blood pressure measuring devices typically automatically inflate a blood pressure cuff once it is applied over a person's upper arm, and determine the person's systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings by detecting the person's pulse from oscillations of pressure in the blood pressure cuff. Thus, when a person's blood pressure is taken, a blood pressure cuff connected to a blood pressure measurement device is commonly placed around the person's upper arm in direct contact with the person's skin, to minimize any damping of the person's pulse or other interference with detection of a person's pulse that might otherwise occur if the blood pressure cuff were placed over the person's clothing.
Since such a blood pressure cuff can be used for taking the blood pressure of a number of people without sterilization of the blood pressure cuff prior to each usage, this practice can result in cross-contamination. Cross-contamination from blood pressure cuffs is a common problem, as recent studies have noted that outbreaks of hospital acquired infections have been traced to blood pressure cuffs. The traditional blood pressure cuff typically directly contacts a patient's skin, and use of the same blood pressure cuff sequentially on as many as thousands of different patients can readily spread infections. One solution to this problem that has been proposed is to provide each particular patient with a disposable blood pressure cuff for use only with that patient. However, single use disposable blood pressure cuffs can be prohibitively expensive.
Application of a blood pressure cuff to a person's skin can cause bruising, tearing or degradation of the person's skin. Open wounds or skin infections can be aggravated, and direct contact with the person's skin can result in an accumulation of moisture and soiling of the blood pressure cuff. In addition, when a blood pressure cuff is left in place over a person's upper arm for long term monitoring of the person's blood pressure, such as in an intensive care unit, accumulation of moisture between the blood pressure cuff and the person's skin can cause undesirable softening and degradation of the person's skin.
One known type of disposable liner for use with standard blood pressure cuffs of blood pressure measuring devices to reduce possible cross-contamination is secured to the inside of the blood pressure cuff, and disposed of after each use. The disposable liner includes an inner layer of a non-woven web, a middle layer of absorbent material, an outer layer of vapor-proof plastic, and a low-tack adhesive applied to the outer layer allowing the liner to be temporarily secured to the inside of the blood pressure cuff. Another known type of protective covering for a sphygmomanometer cuff includes a flexible material sleeve defining a pouch for containing a blood pressure cuff. The sleeve is structured for fastening about a person's arm. Another type of protective sleeve for a sphygmomanometer cuff is also known that is formed as an elongated flexible envelope for receiving a blood pressure cuff. A splashproof, adjustable limb sleeve is also known that can be placed over a limb of a person. The sleeve is made from a material that absorbs moisture from the person's skin, and repels moisture from the outside. The sleeve includes an adjustable silicone seal that is sewn to each end of the protective sleeve to provide a splashproof closure between the limb and the sleeve. The sleeve is fastened around the limb by a hook and loop fastener.
It would be desirable to provide a protective liner that can be placed around the upper arm of a person and used multiple times with the individual person with a common blood pressure cuff, to protect the skin of the person, to wick moisture away from the person's skin to help prevent degradation of the person's skin, and to provide a moisture permeable, microporous microbial barrier to substantially prevent cross-contamination from repeated use of the blood pressure cuff with a number of persons.
A potential problem with liners and sleeves for use with blood pressure cuffs, particularly liners or sleeves having a thick absorbent layer, is possible interference by such liners or sleeves with detection of a person's systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings. However, recent studies have shown that differences in mean blood pressure readings taken with a cuff placed over a subject's shirt sleeve and taken over a subject's unclothed, bare arm were not significant, and were not clinically important, so that it is possible for an appropriate liner or sleeve of comparable thickness to a shirt sleeve to be suitable for use with a blood pressure cuff. It would be desirable to provide a protective liner for use with a blood pressure cuff that permits detection of a person's pulse through the protective liner, substantially without interference with measurement of the person's blood pressure. The present invention addresses these and other needs.